


Volume Two

by SaadieStuff



Series: Malex Week 2020 [1]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Hopeful, M/M, Malex Week 2020, Mentions of Forlex, Post Season 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:02:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25246570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaadieStuff/pseuds/SaadieStuff
Summary: "It's a sad story, me and Alex. I have to walk away so we can start a new one someday." -- They've already started to write the next story.
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Series: Malex Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1829023
Comments: 17
Kudos: 93
Collections: Malex Week 2020





	Volume Two

**Author's Note:**

> Written for day 1 of Malex Week 2020. The fic prompt was "meet ugly" but since I don't read/write AU, I decided to borrow the edit prompt of "location". So before we get started, I'm going to need you to remember this conversation:  
> 

> **_It's a sad story, me and Alex._ **
> 
> **_I have to walk away so we can start a new one someday._ **

“You lost the bandana,” Alex says quietly as he sits down next to Michael at the bar.

Michael is pleased to find that he feels no urge to move his hand out of view, even though Alex’s phrasing harkens back to a painful conversation they’d once had in the exact same spot. 

Michael glances over his shoulder to look around. “You lost your date,” he points out.

“Forrest is just getting something from his car,” Alex explains. 

“First date?”

“Yeah. Well, second, I guess, technically. We had one a little while back.”

“Oh, right.”

They fall silent for a moment, Alex’s fingers splayed on the counter twitching towards Michael’s naked, healed, hand. 

Their eyes meet and Alex pulls away.

“The bandana was slowing me down,” Michael jokes weakly, evoking their old conversation again -- though hoping this one won’t end with the same whimper. 

The anguish in Alex’s eyes tells Michael that he remembers it too.

Michael wants it to go away, so he smirks goofily and tries again. “You know, I tried a few different fabrics, but it just wasn’t real aerodynamic.” 

Alex manages to laugh. “Is that so?”

Michael takes a second to enjoy his sweet victory before turning serious. “Nah. Someone pointed out that my anger made me feel safe,” he shrugs and drops his gaze, “Decided I don’t want to live that way anymore.”

“That was an… unfortunate… conversation,” Alex says slowly, regretfully. “I’m--”

“We’ve had plenty,” Michael cuts in. “But those are from _A Sad Story_. And it’s done. Published. No going back. So let’s not.”

Alex’s face falls. It shocks Michael how sad Alex looks, and it hits him then that all Alex had seen was him walking out on _the song_ \-- not the hope that had stirred in his chest. 

Michael smiles shyly. “You know, uh, it’s a two-volume series,” he says encouragingly, nudging Alex’s arm with his elbow.

Alex is buoyed. “Oh.”

“Yep, and we’re on a brand spankin’ new page, or whatever,” Michael says with gusto. 

Alex snorts. “We always take the metaphor too far, don’t we?” he says cheekily, shaking his head.

“Here I always thought you liked ‘em,” Michael says, winking.

“Sometimes it’s better to be direct,” Alex says simply. 

Michael gulps, and takes the advice, the liquid courage helping some. 

“It’s just a working title but I think Volume Two might be called _Friends to Lovers_ ,” Michael says quietly, despite intending to toss it out gamely, and balking at his own confidence even as the words still fall from his lips like a gentle prophecy. He’s not there yet.

And neither is Alex, judging by how many times his mouth opens and closes silently.

“Good night, Alex,” Michael says fondly as he gets up and scoops his cowboy hat onto his head, before Alex can say anything more.

Alex’s cheeks are still burning by the time Forrest gets back.

**Author's Note:**

> ALEX'S CHEEKS ARE BURNING FROM THE *SLOWBURN*  
> This fic is so contrived but whatevs 😅


End file.
